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Sunday, December 30, 2012

A few days ago, I listed some of the movies that I enjoyed watching in 2012. I'm still reading On The Brink, and won't finish it by tomorrow, so it will spill into the New Year. It's a fascinating book! Far more interesting than you might think and not just a dry financial piece.

Henry Paulson is an interesting writer and unexpectedly will toss in random details of his personal life. Like that he enjoys bird watching with his wife Wendy. He also wrote about finding time to spend with his family, which I found rather insightful. Here's an excerpt below.

"Long hours at the office can cause problems at home, and this was a period of great stress in my marriage. ... I began a pattern where I'd leave the office at 4:30 p.m. ... and be home at 5:25 p.m. After supper, I'd read to the kids. I had them trained so I could zip through a bedtime story very quickly. One night Wendy came in and urged, "Slow down and read with expression." I tried, but as soon as I did, both kids started crying: "No, no! Read like a daddy, not like a mommy." Once they were asleep, I'd get on the phone and start talking to clients, who'd say, "Good Lord, you're still in the office working?"

When I tell this story about work-life balance, people say: "Paulson, you SOB, you worked people harder than anybody at Goldman Sachs." Fair enough. But I always told folks at Goldman: It's not your boss's job to figure out your life. You spend so much time planning your work schedule and your career, you need to make that kind of effort to manage your private life, too. Learn how to say no."

While it may not be quite as easy as just saying no, because you could wind up fired, it is definitely something to think about when deciding how you really want to spend your time and if you're in the right job.

I find the whole work-life balance discussion so interesting, because it usually only arises around the idea of parenthood. After you reach a certain age, however strange and unfair it can sometimes seem, people automatically categorize you as being a parent or not. Especially if you're a woman.

Really enjoyed this round up, Lisa! Being non-parents too, we have our own version of life balance to maintain and it can be just as hectic as for those with children. Families come in different, beautiful packages...and lots of different ways to find the balance! :o) So many good things shared here this year, Lisa--Thank you!! Wishing you all the best of LOVE, PEACE & JOY in 2013!